Unprovoked attacks in the Central West End target elderly men

ST. LOUIS (KSDK) - Police say two elderly neighbors were attacked in the Central West End for no apparent reason.

Police think the same man is responsible for both incidents that happened in broad daylight and are calling these "unprovoked attacks" and the elderly men who were innocently walking in the Central West End say this sort of thing happens far too often and they want it to stop.

According to police, a 73-year-old man was randomly attacked while walking on Newstead Avenue.

The victim says it happened around 11:15 a.m. January 18 as soon as he walked out of his building to go to a nearby pharmacy.

He said a man in his late teens or early 20s ran up to him, said "What's up" then punched him in the eye and ran off. Now that man has a black eye.

He says seconds late he saw that his 77-year-old neighbor was also attacked by the same man for no apparent reason.

Police say that man was hit in the back of the head. His glasses hit his eye during the fall and now he also has a black eye.

"What kind of culture is this young man growing up in that makes it desirable for him to conduct himself in this manner," said the 73-year-old victim, who is not being identified for safety reasons.

Police continue to investigate. Anyone with information on this case should call Crime stoppers at 866-371-TIPS.